mcconway



(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 1.

W. MGGONWAY. GAB-COUPLING. No. 471,881. Patented Mar. 29, 1892.-

Fl GJ- T AQ? WITNESSES:

w: New 5 areas 20., mow-mm, WASNINGTON, u. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. MQGONWAY.

GAR QOUPLING. 4

Patented Mar. 29. 1892.-

Hui

WITNESSES: INVENTOR (N0 ModeL) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

w. MOGONW AY GAR COUPLING.

No. 471,881 Patented Mar. 1892;.

(No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 4.

' W. MGOONWAY.

GAR. GOUPLILH No. 471,881. Patented Mar. 29, 1892;

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- ame/V1 22??? ms onms PE ll my improvement.

7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM MOCONWAY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 471,881, dated Mareh 29, 1892.

Application filed February 8, 1892- Serial No. 420,696- (No model.)

tally spring-actuated swinging locking-blockmay be employed, such having a bearing against the side of the coupler-head as against the thrust of the tail of the swinging hook;

and it is a further object of said invention to provide a tripping device for said lockingblock operative from either the upper or under side of the coupler, the locking-block and tripping device being so constructed and arranged with relation to each other that while the tripping device is always eifective to shift the locking-block the movements of the locking-block when actuated by the tail of the swinging hook will not shift the tripping device, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed. a

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top plan view of one member of a coupler embodying Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, the plane of section beingindicated by the line :20 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 3 y, Fig. 3. der side of a passenger-car coupler embodying my invention; and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevatio'n, the plane of section being indicated by the line 2 2, Fig. 5.

In the practice of my invention a couplerhead 1 of the usual or any suitable construc tion is employed, and a hook 2, provided With a tail-piece 3, is so pivoted in said head that when the hook is swung into a closed position the tail-piece will move back into the head. As the tail-piece moves back into the head it pushes back a spring-actuated locking-block 4, which as soon as the tail-piece passes by is moved by its spring 5 in front of the tail- Fig. 5 is a plan view of the unpiece, thereby locking the tail-piece and hook as against any outward movement. Thelocking-block tis arranged transverselyof the co upler-head and is pivoted in such proximity to the side wall of the coupler-head thatits rear end will have a bearing against such wall, which is provided with a recess for the rounded rear end of the locking-block. In this arrangement of the locking-block the longitudinal thrusts imparted to the locking-block by the tail-piece are transmitted to a very great degree to the side wall of the coupler-head, thus relieving the pivot-pin of the lockingblock of excessive strain. The locking-block is held in operative position by a spring 5,

which bears at one end against the block at a point forward of the pivot-pin and at its rear end against bearing-plates 6, arranged in the stem of the coupler, the spring being in or approximately in the axial line of the coupler. parts or sections, each section being provided with lugs 7, adapted to fit in suitable slots 8, formed in the side walls of the coupler-stem. These plates are made of such dimensions that when placed together their combined width will be less than the internal width of the coupler byan amount approximately equal to the length of one of the lugs 7. In congregating the parts of the coupler the draft-bolt 9 is placed in position, then one of the bearin g-plates is adjusted, and then the other bearing-plate is slid into line with the first plate and then pushed out laterally until its lug enters its slot 8. The spring 5, which is provided with a foot-piece 10 is then placed in position, the foot-piece entering the recess formed by the bearing-plates 6, thereby locking the bearing-plates in position. (See Figs. 2 and 3.

As shown in Fig. 2, the spring 5 holds the locking-block .in such position that when the hook is closedthe tail-piece 3 will bear against the free end of the block 4, thereby locking the tail-piece and hook in a closed position. In order to prevent a too great forward movement of the locking-block, stops or shoulders 15 and 16 are formed on the locking-block. The stop or shoulder 15 is formed on the front end of the block and adapted to abut against the end of the tail-piece 3, as shown in Fig. 2, while the stop 16 is located These bearing-plates are made in two --ward movement of the locking-,blockwhen Figs."5 and 6. crauklever ];l 0r anyother suitable device;

near the pivotal end of the locking-block, and is adapted to abut against a shoulder 17 on the side wall of the coupler. Either or both of these stops may be employed.

In order to shift the block l to permit of the outward movement of the hook, a lever 11 is pivoted onthe coupler-head, and to said lever is attached'a pin 12, which projects in through slot 13 in-the coupler-head and engages the locking-block at in such manner that when shifted by its lever 11 it will move the locking-block out of. engagement with the tail-piece 3, but will not itself be moved when the locking-block is shifted by the tail-piece moving back into the coupler-head. The re ilation of-thepin and locking-block to each other maybeeffected in many ways as, for,

.e'xampleb'y forming a recess 14in the locking+block for the reception of the pin:1-2, said recessextending from'the point of entrance,

ofthepin thereinto toward the front side of? therblock a distance, at leastequalto therear-E shiftedby thetail-pieceS.

When the coupler istobe applied to freightcars, the'lever 1:1 isso arranged, and the pin 12 is-so connected thereto that a vertical move-2 .Fi gs.'z1,-;2, and 3,.soth'at thehook may-beun-i locked by a vertically-moving armon the end;

.ofthe freight-car. As it isEi-mpracticable toi place themechanismfor operating the lock-i ingeblocko'ntop of the coupler when applied; to passenger-carathe slot 13 is formed in'thei undersideo'frthe coupler-head and thepini 13passes up throughsaidslot and entersthe I recess 14,..Which inzthis caseisformedonthei underside of-thelocking-block, as show-n ini The pintis shifted-by a bell-f whichcan :beopera-ted. by asui-tably-arranged lever on the platform of thecar. Lclaim herein as-myinvention- :1. In ,acarcoupler, the-combination-of at swinging :hook provided with a tail-.piece,.a' pivotal 'lockin-g block arranged transverselyi .of ,thecouple-r-head andhavinga bearing ati its-pivotal end against thewall ofthecouplerfi and a springbearing, agains-tthe locki-n g -b1ock j at a-point in-termediate between its pivotal; point .and its free end, substantially as setj forth. 2. In acar-coupler, the combination-of a -,hook provided with a tail-pieceand pivoted, on onetsideof the coupler-head, azlocking+block pivoted on the opposite sideof the. couplerhead and extending transversely thereof, and

aspring bearingagainst the locking-block at a point intermediate between its pivotal point andiits free end, substantially as set forth;

3. In a car-coupler, the combination of a swinging hook provided with a tail-piece, a spring-actuated pivoted locking-block, and a movable pin arranged to shift the lockingblock, but non-movable by the locking-block when shifted by the tail-piece of the hook, substantially as set forth.

4. In a car-coupler, the combination of a swinging hook provided with a tail-piece, a spring-actuated locking-block, and a vertically-movable pin for shifting the lockingblock, substantially as set forth.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination of a swinging hook'provided with a tail-piece, a

, spring-actuated, locking-block arranged transversely of the coupler-head, and alever pivoted to theh eadand provided with a pin; projecting through a slot in thehead and entering a recess in the locking-block,' substantially as set forth.

pivoted onthe opposite side. of the couplinghead and, extendingtransversely: thereof, and

a springbearing at one-end againstthe locking-block and at its opposite end against a suitable abutment in the stemofthe coupler,

substantially as setgforth.

7. In-acar-coupler, the combination of a swinging hook ,providedwith a tailepiece a locking-block arranged transversely of the coupler head, sectional bearing. plates varranged in the stem-of the coupler, and a-spring interposed between the bearing-platesand: the locking-block, substantially asset forth.

8. .In a car--coupler,:thecombination of a swinging hookprovided-with a tailfpiece, a spring actuated pivoted locking -:blo'ck arranged-transversely of the coupler-head, and

a stop, or stops for limiting therforwardmovement of the locking-block, substantiallyas set forth.

9. 1111' a car.-.coupl er,,the cou loinationof a hook provided with a tail-piece and pivoted ononeside of the c0upler-head,.andaspringsite side of the coupler-head and extending transversely thereof and provided-at its free end with a stop adaptedto engage the. end

actuated locking-block .pivotedon the oppo- IIO of the tail-pieceof the hook, substantially as I set forth. 

